Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 112012

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Andrew Madsen, Public Affairs Officer for Southern California's Los Padres National Forest, sent along an article he authored for US Forest Service on a fire captain who was awarded the Ventura County Kiwanis Club's Outstanding Firefighter of the Year trophy after a difficult recovery from being struck by lightning (1); while fire crews have a 2.5-acre wildfire near Verdi 75% contained (2). US Forest Service will be treating 73 acres in Washoe County, Nevada, to reduce the fire danger (3); but two cousins who accidentally started Arizona's Wallow Fire will begin paying more than $3.7 million in restitution next year (4). Some sobering statistics on Idaho's wildfire season this year are provided by the next article (5); where Boise National Forest officials are trying to decide if they can recoup the suppression costs from individuals responsible for starting several fires (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chris Mehl, Communications Director for Montana-based Headwaters Economics, sent along an article from Colorado which discusses the problem of allowing housing to be built in wildfire-prone areas where the federal government is obligated to defend them (7). Early frost increasing the flammability of grass forced Texas Forest Service to issue burn bans for numerous counties (8); so they are distributing U.S. Forest Service Community Fire Protection Grants to help people conduct controlled burns to reduce fuel (9). Wyoming Division of State Forestry will be working with Sheridan County to help mitigate wildfires (10); while a 2.5-acre wildfire was reported near Red Lodge, Montana (11). Iowa Department of Natural Resources handed out $186,223 in grants to dozens of fire departments to help them prepare for wildfires (12); but fire crews in East Tennessee battled wildfires in six counties on Monday (13). West Virginia Division of Forestry fire crews grappled with a wildfire in Raleigh County overnight (14); and another burned in Kanawha County (15); but crews managed to contain a 1,000-acre blaze in Boone County which was caused by a burning underground coal seam (16). As firefighters in North Carolina brought a 50-acre blaze in the Smokies to 50% containment, the western part of the state remains a tinderbox (17); and with the approach of Thanksgiving, Florida Forest Service officials are warning homeowners of the wildfire danger posed by cooking outdoors (18). A bushfire was blamed for shutting down the power supply to a town on the Philippine island of Mindanao (19); while a 480-hectare bushfire was reported south of Invercargill, New Zealand (20). In Australia, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service estimated that 50,000 ha have been scorched by bushfires raging outside of Barcaldine (21); and Country Fire Service firefighters battled a 500-hectare blaze on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula (22). A medical researcher from the University of Tasmania will begin a three-year study on how bushfire smoke affects people's health (23). And finally, firefighters in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, ran into an unexpected hazard when arriving to battle a house fire: a note on the door warning of a bomb inside!